Gas combustion apparatus



`july 21, 1931. F, MEADER 1,815,322

GAS COMBUSTION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 6, 1927 ATTORNEYS Patented duly 21, 1931 JOHN r. HEADER, or NEW Yoan, n. x".

GAS COMBUSTION .APPARATUS Application med December e, 1927. serial No. 238,146.

This invention relates to gas combustion apparatus, and comprises a novel apparatus for the combustion of fuel gas, being herein illustratively shown as employed in a gas red furnace, such for example as may be used for house heating purposes, for heating or vaporizing Water, or similar uses. For residence heating the invention may be used with steam, hot Water, .vapor or air systems.

rllhe general obj ect of the present invention is to afford a gas combustion apparatus or furnace possessing high eiiiciency, conven-r ience of operation and control, simplicity of structure and rugged durability. vA particular object is to adapt existing coal f urnaces to gas ring, with ease of installatlon. Another object is economy, both of laborand fuel, with possibility of thermostatic control and safety of operation. A further object is to afford a system of gas heating which will be operative with ordinary municipal service gas pressures, Without requiring high pressure of gas. vA further object is to im- J prove the .heating eiiiciency of gas combustion by practically applying the generated kheat thereof initially toa mass of radiant or incandescent bodies, the heat being then com.- municated both by convection and radiation tothe boiler or other device to beheated.

ther and further objects and advantages of the invention will be explained in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof or will be under stood to those conversant with the subject.

I To the `attainment orf the said objects and ad vantages the present invention consists in the novel gas fired furnace or apparatus, and the novel features of operation, combination, ar` rangement and structure herein illustrated or described.

In the accompanying drawings a general elevation, partly in central section, and partly diagrammatic, of a gas c ombust-ion apparatus illustrating the prlnclples of the present invention.

lFig. 2 is a section taken on rthe line 2 2.

Fig. 3 shows a modification.

Referring to the drawings there4 is shown a furnace 10, the fire box of which may be of doubleconstruction and resting upon a base `llig. 1 is I bottom or fioor are shown the gas connections including a chamber or gas pot 16 from which extends an uptake 17, the'height of which will be predetermined, or adjusted, to bring the bed of radiants inthe proper relation below' the water surfaces of the boiler. At the top of the uptake 17 is shown a threaded ring 18 having vertical posts 19, three of these being indicated, constituting a tripod. Upon this tripod rests a preferably round plate or disk 20 which acts as a spreader for distributinglaterally the ascending gas and air mixture. The underside of the plate 20 may have recesses receiving the topends of the three posts 19. On top ofthe plate 20 and suitably attached or positioned thereon is shown a larger plate or table 21 which is built up of two or more sections topermit their insertion through the fire door and assemblage within the furnace. The fire table v21 is preferably unbroken and constitutes a support for the radiant bed, but its periphery is smaller than the furnace shell so that a peripheral passage or passages 24 are shown leading upwardly between the table and the shell. Above the fire table and between it and the Waterleg 13 is a space which may be considered the combustion chamber 25.

Resting upon the table 21 and occupying a portion of the combustion chamber is shown a radiant bed composed preferably of a loose assemblage of radiant elements 26. These may be of various shapes, but are preferably vbriquettes of double pyramid shape and composed of ceramic or refractory material whichk is readily ,brought to an incandescent' condition. It will be observed that the bed of radiants 26 is arranged to face the boiler both at itsupper center portion and at its edges, the bed preferably being roundedk over substantially as illustrated.

Gas may be supplied to feed the uptake 17 g by a gas main 28. In this main is provided a gas cock 29 which according to this invention is preferably thermostatically controlled so'as to increase or decrease the supply of gas according to the heating needs. Inwards of the cock 29 isa delivery pipe `30 having at' its extremity a sharp edged orifice disk 31 containing either seven or other plural number of orifices 32 0r a single equivalent orifice 32a as in Fig. 3. The gas orifices 32 or 32al deliver into the tapered portion 34 of a Venturi tube so as to create an induced action carrying the gas and indrawn air through and out by the flaring portion 35 of the Venturi tube. The mouth of the tapered portion 34 of the tube is preferably not freely open but is partially closed by fixed damper portions 37 cooperating with rotary damper portions 38 so as to regulate the amount of air in relation to the rate of gas flow. The Venturi-l y tube 34-35 is shown surrounded by a pipe `uentrically or housing 40 which leads directly to the gas pot 16, so that the gas-air mixture is conducted to the uptake 17 and thus delivered below the spreader plate 20 from which it passes outwardly and through the passages 24 to the bed of radiants 26.

In its preferred form this invention em-` bodies, in addition tothe gas connections already described another set of gas connections as follows. .A preferably smaller gas supply pipe 42 is shown provided with a cock 43 delivering through pipe 44 and `orifice to the vdamper controlled tapered portion-45 of a Venturi tube, the Haring portion 46 of which is enclosed within a pipe 48 which enters the nected to an uptake 49 preferably located conwithin the the uptake 17, the upper end. 50 o the interior pipe discharging into what may be termed the distributing 'spacel 51 below the center of the spreader ,plate 20. Instead of carrying the primary gas pipe into the fire pot through a packed connection as shown I am employing a specially designed fire pot,rwhich' may be cast with an upper opening for the larger secondary gas pipe and fitting and a smaller lower opening to which maintain the radiantsY in a radiating state.

This primary system is supplemented by the variable secondary system by which the total amount of gas-air mixture. and heating e'ect gas pot 16 and is providedwith an'elbow con-v are automatically regulated. Each system supplies substantially the same gas-air mixture to the distributing chamber 51 from which the mixture flows radially outward and thence upwardly to the 4passages 24. An action is created in the combustion chamber 25Which is found to draw the gases inwardly through the heart of the bed of radiants so that in practice the radiants become incandescent from center to periphery. By this arrangement a very large portion of the available heat is expended in maintaining the radiants in their incandescent condition and these eHectually radiate the heat to the boiler, while the outgoing hot gases carry further heat to the boiler by convection. The combination gives maximum efficiency.

The combustion commences at the burner head, in the distributing space, the flames being deflected beneath the spreader and the metallic fire plate, and heating the plate from below, this becoming radiantly hot, so that the plate as well as the radiants radiates heat to portions of the boiler. The fire plate is in the nature of a 'circular baille, causing the combustion flames to travel a tortuous route, for the best extraction of thermal units. The hot gases travel in direct contact with the boiler portions below the fire plate or baiie.

The orifice arrangement at the gas supply is effective drawing large quantities of air into the furnace, but the regulation is to be such as to give the usual excess of gas, and

thus prevent explosion andlflashing back.

There have thus been described a gas combustion method and apparatus embodyingfthe Vprinciples of this invention; but since many matters of operation, combination, arrangementV and structure may be variously modified without departing from the principles it is not intended to limit the invention to such matters except so far as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is z 1. A gas-fired furnace having firebox walls enclosingthe combustion space, a substantially imperforate metallic table mounted horizontally in the combustion space at such height as to leave chambers of substantial depth both below and above the table, said table being constructed in relation to the firebox Walls to leave an upfiow passage substantially peripherally around the table, a gas-air conduit arranged centrally in the lower chamber to deliver flame upwardly to impinge directly against the central portion of the under side of the table to maintain the'central p0rtion of the -table at high temperature, and a firebed of refractory radiant bodies piled uponsaid table in loosely assembled relation to receive heat and become incandescent and radiate to the heat absorbing surfaces of the upper chamber.

2. A gas-fired furnace having heat absorbing metallic irebox walls enclosing the combustion space,. a substantially imperforate metallic table suspended in the combustion space at such height as to leave chambers of substantial depth both below and above the table, said table being constructed in relation to the iireb'ox Walls to leave an upiow passage substantially peripherally around-the table, av gas vburner arranged in the .lowerl chamber to deliver flameupwardly to Yim- -ping'e against the middle portion of the under side of the table to maintain the same atl high temperature, and 'a irebed of refractory radiant bodies carried upon said table arranged higher in the middle to constitute a convex firebed radiating to the walls of the upper chamber. y' w 3. A .gas-fired furnace having metallicreboX walls enclosing the combustion space, a i substantially imperfor'ate metallic plate susended transversely in the combustion space at such height as to leave chambers of substantial depth both below and above the plate, said plate being constructed in relation to the l rebox walls to leave an upflow passage substantially peripherally around the plate;` a

. gas-air conduit and burner arranged in\ the lower chamber to deliver flame` upwardly to impinge against the central portion ofthe l under side of the plate to maintain a central area of high temperature, and a rebedof piled refractory radiant bodiescarried upon said plate in loosely assembled relation yand atl the periphery overhanging such upflow passae andconfinedby therebox walls. 4. gas-fired furnace having firebox walls enclosing the combustion space, al substantially imperforate metallic table mounted in the combustion space at such height as to leave chambers of substantial depth both below and 40 above the table, said table being constructed in relation to the irebox walls to leave an upflow passage substantially peripherallyv around t e table, a gas-air burner comprising .A main and auxiliary conduits both arranged in the lower chamber to deliver Haine upwardly to impinge directly, against the central portion of the under side of the table and having means to put one or both thereof into o r out of operatlon, and a system of refractory radiant bodie carried upon said table in. i

loosely assemb ed relation to' constitute a rebed radiating to the heat absorbing surfaces of the upper chamber. F

In testimony whereof, I have'aililred my' signature hereto.

' JOHN F. MEADER. 

